### Apple Mitigates Tablet Market Decline with Rise in iPad Average Selling Price
As per a recent study conducted by Counterpoint Research, worldwide tablet shipments saw a decrease of 3% quarter-over-quarter and 4% year-over-year in Q4 2025. This downturn signifies a shift into a more established phase of the tablet market. The fall follows a strong Q3 and a high benchmark from the previous year, when Q4 2024 shipments had surged nearly 8% year-over-year, propelled by prominent OEMs like Apple and Samsung resuming regular launch schedules, in addition to the swift growth of Chinese OEMs.
Diverging from the general market trend, Apple noted a notable rise in the average selling price of its iPad, climbing from $527 in Q3 2025 to $583 in Q4 2025. This roughly 10% surge helped cushion the broader market slowdown while solidifying Apple’s position in the premium tablet sector. The report implies that this commanding stance may offer Apple an edge over Android manufacturers, especially as increasing memory costs pressure lower and mid-tier devices.
Apple’s Q1 2026 earnings, corresponding to sales for the quarter concluding December 27, revealed a 5% year-over-year increase in iPad revenue, amounting to $8.5 billion. During the post-earnings conference call, CEO Tim Cook and CFO Kevan Parekh pointed out that the quarter also set a record for iPad upgraders, with over 50% of iPad purchasers being first-time buyers of the product.
The Counterpoint report indicated that the tablet market remained in the mid-100-million-unit range for the entire year, indicating a transition towards a more stable, replacement-driven trajectory. Additionally, tablet shipments are anticipated to expand through 2029, with year-over-year growth projected to stay positive until 2028, followed by a slight decline in 2029 and 2030.
For more detailed insights, you can access the full report [here](https://counterpointresearch.com/en/insights/global-tablet-shipments-decline-3-percent-qoq-in-q4-2025).